A Dark Nightmare Revisited: Book Two
by FabulousBeauty
Summary: This picks up where Book One left off. The Undertaker has done the unthinkable to Stephanie McMahon yet again. But he's now engaged to her younger sister, Xandra. Will Stephanie confess the truth to Xandra and convince her to end her engagement?
1. Chapter 1

Part One

3 Days Later...

Taker and Xandra were out shopping for her engagement ring. Xandra had been looking at solitaire diamond rings, but Taker had wanted a non-traditional ring. Finally, the two decided to shop together.

"What about that one?" Taker asked, pointing to a round cut diamond with 3 stones on each side.

"No. Not feeling it." Xandra said flatly.

"Xandra, I promised you a ring before I left for Europe and I intend to keep that promise."

"I know, I know. I just can't decide what I want. All I want is-" She stopped to get a closer look at an oval cut chocolate diamond ring with baguette cut clear diamonds. "That's the one!" She squealed happily.

"A beautiful ring, definitely." Said the salesperson.

Taker walked over to the display case and asked to see the ring. The salesclerk took it out and Taker placed the ring on Xandra's finger.

"What do you know? A perfect fit!" Xandra said.

"If that's the ring my lady wants, that's the ring she shall have." Taker told the salesclerk. "We'll take it."

"Excellent choice. We'll just ring that up over here." The salesclerk said.

Xandra and Taker kissed and looked down at her new engagement ring.

"It's lovely." Xandra said.

"Just like its owner." Taker replied. "Have I told you how much I love you lately?"

"Not in the last hour." She joked.

"Well, I do and soon everyone will know it. I can't wait until our engagement party tomorrow."

"Me either. I'm so glad you planned this before you headed off to Europe. I'm going to miss you so much."

"Well, now you have that ring to remind you that we have something to look forward to when I get back."

"I do."

"Save that for the wedding." Taker joked. Xandra playfully swatted him.

Meanwhile, Stephanie was at home watching TV, but her mind was far away from anything on the screen. It had been a few days since she had been savagely raped by Taker at Wrestlemania. She didn't make it to the afterparty. She had barely composed herself long enough to get back to the hotel and take a long shower, hoping to wash away the nightmare she was facing yet again.

And if she thought she had sleepless nights before the rape, she was wrong yet again. Stephanie had barely gotten any sleep since that horrible night. All she could see, all she could hear...was Taker. His face, his evil grin, his voice...all horrible reminders of the many violations she had suffered at his hands.

She found herself in a sickening sense of deja vu from 4 years ago. She had tried to continue her life as if nothing had happened. No one except her knew of the torment she had to face daily. Except this time, she longed to tell someone, in particular, her sister. She had the right to know the person she was going to marry.

"Steph, I'm home!" She heard Xandra call out.

She cut off the TV and stood up to greet Xandra with a hug.

"Guess what I got today!" She said excitedly.

"What?"

Xandra held out her left hand. There, on her ring finger, was the ring that she and Taker had picked out earlier.

Stephanie forced a fake smile. "Looks great. Just beautiful." She said.

"Thanks! I forgot to tell you earlier, you're invited to our engagement party tomorrow night. I know it's kind of last minute but-"

"Gee, thanks, but I don't think I'm going to be able to make it."

"Are you sure you're OK? You've been awfully quiet the past few days. You must be concentrating on the WWE's European tour coming up. Looks to be exciting, especially with Taker being added to it."

"Yeah, I'd rather focus on preparing for it. Plus, I haven't had the best sleep in a couple of days so I'm hoping to catch up. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's OK. Your health and well-being should come first. It's understandable. Especially before traveling to another continent."

"Yeah. Thanks for understanding."

"No problem, sis." Xandra headed up to her room.

"I hope you'll be as understanding when I tell you the truth about your fiancee." Stephanie said under her breath.


	2. Chapter 2

Part Two

"Xandra, hope this e-mail finds you well. My free time is very limited here, between visiting hospitals, seeing the sights and the nightly shows. I miss you so much, love. I know you're busy there in Stamford. Hope Vince isn't driving you crazy or working you like a slave driver. I'm already counting down the hours until I see you again. Take care. Taker."

"Hi, Deadman. I miss you too. No, Dad's not working me too hard. In fact, I've even found time to start working out. Gotta fit into a wedding gown, after all. Hope the European fans are enjoying your presence, because I'm missing it here. Talk later. Xandra."

"Hey, little sister. We just left Milan. I found that museum you told me about and I went. It's as gorgeous as you said it is. It was really a pleasant distraction from the daily grind. How's Mom doing? I hope you saw her since I left. She seems really excited to start helping you plan your wedding. Tell Dad to give you a break every now and then. Love you! Stephanie."

"Hi, Stephanie. I have had Mom and Dad over for dinner twice in the past week. You know I hate eating alone. I hope you've gotten some more sleep in between cities. Have you had any more nightmares? I've been thinking about you a lot and I'm concerned about you. Wrestlemania must have taken a lot out of you. I hope you're doing OK. You've got Smackdown in Manchester coming up. Dad says hi. He's looking over my shoulder as I type this. TTYL. Love, Xandra."

"Xandra, I just wanted to let you know that I'm staring at the Eiffel Tower as I'm typing and missing you so much. What do you think about Paris for our honeymoon? Or maybe London. Headed there next. Working hard and thinking about you even harder. Taker."

"Xandra, I LOVE Manchester! The Divas and I found the spa you mentioned, and we went and made a day of pampering ourselves. Yes, I've gotten some sleep since my last e-mail. Sorry I haven't been so talkative lately. I've been focusing on making this Smackdown a memorable one. I've been keeping your fiancee in check while on tour. He's been behaving himself so far. More later. Stephanie."

"Taker, I would love Paris, but not for our honeymoon. I was actually thinking Hawaii. I haven't been there yet and I'd love to explore it with you by my side as my husband. I wouldn't mind walking along the beach hand in hand, kissing you with the sunset in the background. Love you lots, Xandra."

"Stephanie, I hope Smackdown went well for you. I'm glad you had a spa day. We have to plan one of our own as soon as you get back. Taker had better behave himself or else I'll let him have it. Don't forget the engagement gift you promised me. Take care of yourself. Xandra."


	3. Chapter 3

Part Three

The WWE Superstars had arrived back in America, and Taker had a few days off before his new work schedule started. Xandra had invited him to have dinner with her family. He accepted. Stephanie was also invited, but she had declined, citing that she had to come up with Smackdown matches for the next 2 weeks.

It had been hard for Stephanie to be around Taker since Wrestlemania. She knew she couldn't avoid him during Smackdown, but she had tried to avoid any family gatherings in which he was attending. Now more than ever, she couldn't stand the sight of him and Xandra together, especially knowing what he had done to her.

Taker and the McMahon family, minus Stephanie, were at a barbecue restaurant in a private room.

"Xandra, I'm so proud of you." Linda said. "You're doing a great job at WWE headquarters, and you're engaged."

"Thanks, Mom." Xandra replied.

"I always knew my little sister would be a perfect fit within the company." Shane said.

"It took a little time, but she's finally where she belongs." Vince added.

Xandra blushed. "Thanks, everyone. I appreciate the support. And this guy right here," She said, pointing to Taker, "Has made working at WWE such a thrill."

"Well, at least I have a reason to keep coming into work now." Taker joked. Everyone laughed. "But seriously, Xandra has given me a whole new perspective on life. I enjoy seeing her when I can. Even though with my new schedule, I'll be seeing her a little less, but we'll find a way to work things out."

"I hope you're including helping to plan our wedding into your new schedule." Xandra pointed out.

"Of course. I want to be a part of this."

"That's great." Linda said. "You know your father and I will be there every step of the way if you need us."

"Believe me, we appreciate that." Taker said.

Everyone's orders arrived at that point. They ate in silence for several minutes. Then Xandra spoke up.

"Dad?"

"Yes, honey?"

"I'm worried about Stephanie."

"Yeah, it's not the same without her here, bugging me." Shane said.

Xandra laughed. "No, but I'm worried she may be working herself too hard."

"What do you mean?" Linda asked.

"She's been too tired to do anything other than work lately. I mean, Wrestlemania's come and gone. She shouldn't have to push herself so hard anymore, right?"

"I would think so." Said Vince.

"I mean, she hasn't been sleeping well since before Wrestlemania. But now...it's like she's been on autopilot. It's just eat, drink, breathe Smackdown with her. That's all she focuses on."

"Is she still having those nightmares?" Linda asked.

"What nightmares?" Shane asked.

"She'd told me she was having nightmares about Taker and the Ministry."

"Taker?" Xandra asked. "Why would she have nightmares about him?"

"Because of what he, I mean, what we did to her around that time." Vince stated.

"You?"

"Xandra, you remember the Greater Power thing, right?" Shane asked. She nodded. "I was a part of that plan to screw over Austin. See, I was behind her first abduction-"

"Can we not talk about this now?" Taker spoke up.

"No, I want to know why my sister is having nightmares about you." Xandra said pointedly.

"Like I was saying, I was the mastermind behind her first abduction the night after Wrestlemania." Shane continued. "Taker wasn't supposed to play a big role in that, but he wanted to get a glimpse of her for himself. So I agreed to that."

"And I was the one behind her second kidnapping at Backlash." Vince added. "Taker was supposed to drive her to a nearby hotel and leave her there. I wanted her to come back unharmed after the Black Wedding."

"That shouldn't cause nightmares." Taker said.

"If that was the case, then why is she having them? Unless something else happened that we don't know about." Xandra said.

"I have a strong feeling that there's more to the story than what we know." Linda stated.

"Maybe she was so haunted by the whole experience that she still has nightmares to this day."

"I don't know, Xandra."

"Dad, did you ever apologize to Stephanie for all of this?" Xandra asked Vince.

"Yes, Shane and I both did. Eventually she did warm up and managed to forgive us." He replied.

"I told her that maybe she needs to forgive Taker for his role in that scheme." Linda added.

"You mean she hasn't?" Xandra asked.

"No. But she should have talked things over with him by now."

"Oh, we've talked." Taker said. "I don't think she's at that point with me quite yet." He was hoping this conversation would be over soon.

"Why not?" Xandra asked.

"Whatever the reason," Linda said. "I think that when she forgives Taker, the nightmares will all end and she can finally be free."

"I hope so." Vince added.

Xandra turned to Taker. "Why don't you talk to her before Smackdown next week? Hopefully she'll be open to a frank discussion with you. If nothing else, it'll be a good start on the path to forgiveness."

"I'll give it a shot." Taker said. "But I don't know-"

"Please, do this for me. I would like you two on good terms before our wedding."

Taker sighed. "OK. I'll try."

Xandra kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you. That's all I ask."

'Oh, Xandra...' Taker thought. 'I'm sorry, but I don't think Stephanie will be in a forgiving mood anytime soon. Especially after what I did to her at Wrestlemania.' Taker was beginning to feel guilty about what he had done, but there was no way he would tell Xandra the truth. He didn't want to lose her now after fighting so hard for her.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

Stephanie was driving herself to her doctor's office. She didn't want to go, but Xandra had convinced her to go. Her concern had become complete worry one night.

 **Flashback** -2 weeks before.

"DAD!" Stephanie sat up in bed wide awake. She looked around the room. No one was there. "Great. Yet another nightmare. This is getting old."

Xandra came running into the room. "Stephanie! Are you OK? I heard you scream."

"No, I'm not OK."

"Was it another nightmare?" Stephanie nodded. "OK. This is ridiculous. You've been having these for too damn long. You need to see someone about this."

"Xandra-"

"And don't tell me you don't have time. Your health is more important than Smackdown could ever be. I want you to be at 100% come my wedding day...whenever that is."

Stephanie sighed. "OK. I'll make an appointment first thing in the morning."

"Good. Maybe you need to see a therapist to figure out why you're having these bad dreams."

Stephanie knew precisely why she was having those dreams, but she didn't dare tell Xandra just yet.

 **End of flashback**

Stephanie did make an appointment the next morning. This was the soonest that Dr. Herman could see her. She was hoping that she would give her, at the least, something to help her relax so she could get some sleep at night.

She got to the medical center, parked and got herself checked in. When the nurse called her to the back, Stephanie told her why she was there and they went into a room for her to wait for the doctor.

Soon, Dr. Herman knocked on the door and entered. "Hello, Stephanie. What brings you in today?"

"Well, I've been having trouble sleeping over the past few months. I've been having these horrible nightmares, more like flashbacks to a horrible time in my life."

"Is that all?"

"Well, I haven't particularly been feeling well the last few days. I haven't had much of an appetite, and whatever I did eat wouldn't stay down."

"OK. Well, I noticed your blood pressure was high. Let me look at you and see what could possibly be going on."

Dr. Herman examined Stephanie by listening to her heart and checking her throat, then firmly but gently pressing down on her stomach to see if she was in any pain.

"I want you to give me a urine sample. I might have an idea, but that should give me more to go on."

Stephanie went to the bathroom and filled up the cup the nurse handed her. After a few minutes, Dr. Herman came back in.

"Well, what's the word?"

"Normally, I'd give you a referral to see a psychologist for some medication to help you relax, but I can't do that."

"Why not? Is there a problem?"

"That would depend on how you look at it. Stephanie...you're pregnant."

"What?" 'Pregnant? It couldn't be! The last time I had sex was when...' Stephanie suddenly put two and two together. "No..." She said softly. "No. No!"

"I take it this was definitely an unplanned pregnancy."

'That would be the understatement of the century.' She thought to herself. She simply nodded, tears coming to her eyes.

"Well, nonetheless, you're about 4 weeks along. So I'm referring you to an OB/GYN near here. She's one of the best we have. She'll see you through the pregnancy. Meanwhile, I suggest you get some rest and try to eat something. You're eating for two now so you need to take better care of yourself, and your baby."

"Thank you, Dr. Herman. I will." Stephanie told her. After Dr. Herman left, Stephanie let a couple of tears escape. 'This is just perfect.' She thought. 'So the nightmare continues...'

After the nurse had given her a prescription for some prenatal vitamins, Stephanie was ready to leave. She got in her car, but didn't start it. She gripped the steering wheel and started crying. She sobbed as she wondered what was next for her. How in the world was she going to deal with a baby? Especially one fathered not only by her rapist, but her sister's fiancee, as well. There was no way she could tell Xandra about what Taker did now.


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

Smackdown was on the road again, and Taker was now doing house shows instead of appearing on Smackdown.

Taker had decided to talk to Stephanie, at the request of Xandra. He knew she wouldn't forgive him, especially with his recent actions, but he had promised Xandra he would try to get on good terms with her.

So before an episode of Smackdown, Taker had requested an audience with Stephanie. She was hesitant, knowing what had happened the last time Taker was in her office. But she decided that she had to face him sooner or later.

Taker knocked on Stephanie's door.

"Come in." She called.

Taker opened the door and walked in. Stephanie looked up to see Taker. Her body stiffened at the sight of him, but she knew she had to keep her guard up at all times. After all, she had an unborn child to protect now.

"Taker...you wanted to see me?"

"I did. I wanted to talk to you about Xandra."

"I'm listening."

"Well, she told me to talk to you about seeing if you can forgive me for all that happened in 1999 with me, but I don't think-"

Stephanie chuckled sarcastically. "Forgive you? Really? Now you ask for forgiveness? You are out of your mind."

"I know, but-"

"Forget it. There is no way I will ever forgive you for what you did to me at Wrestlemania, never mind what you did in 1999."

"Stephanie-"

"You can go now."

"No. You and I need to talk."

"Excuse me?"

"I promised Xandra I would try to talk to you to see if we could be on good terms come her wedding day."

"Well, obviously that's not going to happen."

"Can't we at least pretend that we-"

"Oh, like I can pretend that you raped me?"

"No! I'm asking-"

"Deadman, if you really want to do something, the least you can do is rot in hell. Just don't take my sister with you. Now if you will excuse me, I have a show to run."

"Damn." Taker swore and turned to exit.

"Oh, and Taker..."

"Yeah?"

"I suggest you get used to the idea of working house shows."

"Why?"

"Let's just say that you're about to have a lot more than what's already on your plate for the future."

Taker shook his head and left.

Stephanie sat down and placed a hand on her stomach. "Yes, little one. That was your father. He may be engaged to your aunt, but I'll make sure he pays for what he did. You and I will make sure of that."


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

4 months later...

Taker was back on Smackdown full time, and he and Xandra couldn't be happier. They were still working on planning their wedding.

Meanwhile, Stephanie was now 5 ½ months pregnant. She had started to show a couple of months ago, but a new maternity wardrobe she'd bought in secret had helped her conceal her pregnancy.

One morning, Xandra woke up with a headache. She went to the medicine cabinet in search of some Tylenol. She searched around for a minute, but didn't find any.

"Great. I'll just have to add that to my shopping list." She said.

She accidentally knocked down a bottle. She went to pick it up. The label was facing her.

"Prenatal vitamins? What the hell?" She thought out loud. "What are those doing here? Stephanie can't be pregnant. Last time I checked, she hasn't been with anyone since she was with Triple H, and that was about a year and a half ago."

"Xandra?" Stephanie called out as she entered the bathroom. "Are you OK? I heard something fall in here and I-" She stopped when she saw the bottle in Xandra's hand. Xandra looked at her older sister.

"Stephanie?" She asked. "Why are there prenatal vitamins here?"

'Uh-oh...' Stephanie thought. 'Think fast...'

"Are you holding them for a friend? Because you haven't slept with anyone since Triple H early last year."

"No, I just..." She stopped herself. She couldn't tell Xandra that she had been raped and was now expecting Taker's child. She just didn't know how to explain her situation to her.

Xandra looked down at Stephanie's clothes. "That's a nice outfit. Is that new?"

"Yeah, it's new."

"I love it! Can I borrow it sometime?"

"No! I mean, it's just that it may be a little too big for you now that you've lost some weight."

"I haven't lost that much weight. Then again, you couldn't have gained that much either. Anyway, is it just me or have you been wearing more black lately?"

"Um..."

"Stephanie, I know you're used to wearing more color than this. You just need to change it up every now and then. People might think you're hiding an eating disorder."

'Not an eating disorder. Just a 9 month situation.' She thought. "

"Xandra, I'm fine. Really." She said. "No need to worry about me."

"Are you sure? Because you can tell me anything."

'No, I can't. Especially not this.'

"I'm OK. Just getting my life back in order."

"Oh, good. I know you've been seeing a therapist in order to help you with your nightmares. How's that been going?"

"It's been going great. It's been a while since I've had a nightmare. So I'd say it's been a success."

"Great. You know I worry about you more than I should. Usually it's the big sister's job to worry about the little sister, not the other way around. But I just want everything between you and Taker worked out before we get married."

'Sorry, little sis. I'm not working anything out with your rapist of a fiancee anytime soon.'

"Oh, trust me. It's going to be just fine. Just you wait."

"Good. That reminds me. I may not have a set plan for our wedding, but I do know that I want you to be my maid of honor."

"Really?"

"Yeah! So what do you say?"

"I say yes. I'd be honored."

"Great! I'll let Taker know you agreed to it." Xandra said as she hugged her sister. "That's at least one step in the right direction."

'Yeah, one step forward and 5 steps back.'

"Sure is. I want your wedding day to be perfect."

'Even if your fiancee isn't even close to it.'

"Thanks, Steph." Xandra said as she left the bathroom.

"No problem."

'Except you couldn't tell her about your pregnancy.' Stephanie mentally told herself. 'Now that she's suspicious, how will you explain this to her? Oh, your fiancee just happened to knock me up? Are you kidding? She can't know about this! But in about 3 months' time, you're going to have to explain why you're in the hospital with labor pains. Then what?'

"Xandra...I wish I could tell you that you're about to become an aunt, but I don't know how you'd react. How can I do this without breaking your heart?"


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7

One afternoon, Shane invited Xandra out to lunch. He hadn't had the chance to have time alone with his little sister since she had gotten back due to his own international traveling for WWE.

"Hi, Shane!" Xandra greeted him with a hug.

"There's my little sister." Shane replied excitedly.

"Your extremely busy little sister." She added. "I'm glad to finally be spending some time with you."

"Trust me, the feeling's mutual. So how's the wedding planning going?"

"It's going great. Taker and I have the basics covered. I've asked Stephanie to be my maid of honor and she accepted."

"That's great! Speaking of Stephanie...how's she been doing?"

"She's had less nightmares and has been sleeping well. I don't know what the doctor told her to do, but it seems to be working."

"That's very good."

"Yep. How's Marissa doing?"

"She's doing wonderfully. We're getting ready for our baby's arrival in a few months."

"That's awesome. You must be nervous as a soon-to-be first time father."

"Oh, I am. But I learned from the best on how to be a great dad."

Xandra chuckled lightly. "Yep. Our dad is the best. Does Marissa need extra vitamins?"

"No, we're good there. Why do you ask?"

"Because the other day, I found a bottle of prenatal vitamins belonging to Stephanie."

"Stephanie? What would she be doing with them?"

"I don't know. She hasn't slept with anyone since her divorce from Triple H."

"That we know of."

"Come on, Shane. Do you really think she's been with anyone else?"

"I doubt it. But she's never been an open person when it comes to relationships. Do you know how long it took her to come out and say she was dating Triple H? At least 2 months. Do you think she'd tell anyone if she was dating someone, let alone be pregnant?"

"We don't even know if she is pregnant yet. But I think she's hiding something else."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's say she is pregnant. Maybe she doesn't want anyone to know who the father is. That may be why she's being so secretive."

"You think she might be too ashamed to tell anyone?"

"I don't know, Shane."

"Well, whatever the case may be, there's a slight possibility that Mom and Dad may be about to get a second grandchild."

Xandra sighed. "I don't know what to do. I can't just come out and ask Stephanie if she's pregnant or not. How am I going to find out for sure?"

Meanwhile, the woman in question was at home, eating her own lunch. She had been struggling with telling Xandra about her baby. She knew she definitely couldn't tell Taker about this even though it was his fault she was in this situation...again.

 **Flashback-June 1999**

Stephanie was in the doctor's office, in tears. She'd just been told she was 5 weeks pregnant. She knew that Taker had to be the father as a result of the multiple rapes she'd endured.

"Dr. Jansen, what can I do? I'm not ready to have a baby."

"Well, Stephanie, you can always put the baby up for adoption...or there's always the option of having an abortion."

"How can I get that?"

"I could refer you to a clinic nearby. But you have to be absolutely sure you want to do this."

"I can't handle a pregnancy right now. I have to do this."

"That's fair. But you must consider the father of your child and his feelings."

"Why should I do that? He sure didn't consider mine when he got me pregnant." She spat out bitterly. "I don't want him to even know about this. He doesn't deserve to."

"I'll give you a referral if that's what you want. But I strongly suggest you think about it for a few days before you go, because there's no turning back from that."

"Trust me, I will." But Stephanie had already made up her mind. She was going to go through with the abortion.

3 days later, Stephanie was leaving the clinic her doctor had referred her to. The abortion was a success and the doctor there told her that there was no reason she couldn't have children in the future.

She got in her car and drove off. She wiped a tear away as she was driving.

"I'm sorry, little one. But I just couldn't bring you into a world that is filled with evil people like your father. He doesn't deserve to know anything about you. This was a hard decision, but you need to trust me. It was all for the best."

 **End flashback**

Stephanie sat with her hand on her protruding stomach. She felt the same way now as she did then...that what she was doing was all for the best. It may have been the same situation, but she had assured herself that this time, Taker would pay for his sins.

"It's OK, baby. Mommy's here. I'm going to take care of you. I don't need your father, nor do I want his help. I can do this on my own. He doesn't get to have the last word in this. I will not give him that satisfaction. I promise you...you'll have everything you could ever need. A loving family, a healthy life and safety and security from all the evils of this world...especially your father."


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8

"Stephanie! I'm home!" Xandra called out.

"Up here!" Stephanie responded from her bedroom. She scrambled to cover her stomach up so Xandra wouldn't ask any questions. She'd been worried that Xandra would get more and more suspicious after finding the prenatal vitamins the other day.

Xandra soon came to the bedroom. "Hey there."

"Hey. How was lunch with Shane?"

"It was great. We mostly talked about Marissa and their bundle of joy." Xandra said as she sat on Stephanie's bed.

"Shane must be really excited."

"Nervous, but yes, he's excited."

"That's great. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling pretty good right now."

"Good, because you were missed at work this morning. Janet and Michelle say hi."

"That's so sweet of them. Did you see Nick?"

"I did and he has a message for you. He said 'We need to see both of the McMahon sisters together more often.' He misses you too."

Stephanie smiled at that.

"Oh, my God...you're actually smiling! It's a miracle!"

Stephanie laughed.

"Smiling and laughing? Wow! You must be doing great!" Xandra reached out to hug her older sister. Stephanie returned the embrace.

"Oh!" Xandra exclaimed, startled. "I swear, I felt something poke me on my stomach just now."

"Um, maybe you're just imagining things."

"No. I'm pretty sure I felt something." Xandra felt the blankets covering Stephanie. "No...maybe you're right. It's probably just me."

"Xandra...it's not just you." Stephanie felt she might as well confess the truth to her sister...or at least part of it. "If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone else, especially Mom and Dad?"

"Sure. What's going on?"

"Well, it's time I let the cat out of the bag." Stephanie uncovered herself.

Xandra gasped as she saw Stephanie's belly. "Oh, my God. You're...you're pregnant. You're really...you're very pregnant."

"Yes, I am, but-"

"Oh, my God! I'm going to be an aunt two times over!" Xandra hugged her sister again. "So that was what I felt. A baby!"

"Yes, I'm having a baby." Stephanie said calmly.

"Wow! How far along are you?"

"Almost 6 months."

"6 months? And you're just now telling someone?!" Stephanie nodded. "I'm surprised you were able to hide it this long."

"Really? You didn't notice?"

"Well, I had my suspicions, especially after finding those prenatal vitamins in the medicine cabinet. But I didn't want to say anything out of respect for you. But...wow! My sister, having her first child! I can't believe it! Looks like I'm the only one not having a kid anytime soon."

They both laughed.

"But you are getting married." Stephanie pointed out. "And that means kids may be in your future too."

"I don't know...I can't say if I want children or not just yet. I'm so focused with WWE work right now and I don't think I want to jeopardize that."

"Xandra, relax. I think you'd make a great mother someday. Whether someday happens to be now, or later, whatever you want."

"I know. Right now though, I'd rather play the role of a doting aunt. And I'm going to have 2 little ones to practice with!"

'She seems so excited.' Stephanie thought. 'Maybe now's not the time to tell her that Taker's the father. I'll see how much longer I can put this off.'

"You know, in all this excitement, I forgot to ask...who's the father?" Xandra asked.

'Maybe it is the time to tell her...'

"Well, that part...well...it's, um...well...let's just say it's complicated." Stephanie finally got out.

"Ah, I see. Well, you don't have to tell me right now. I understand. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."

Stephanie let out a sigh of relief. She wasn't in the mood to destroy Xandra's joy at that moment. But she knew sooner or later, she'd have to tell her the whole story behind her pregnancy.


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9

It was Stephanie's birthday. She didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but Xandra had convinced her to have a small get-together with her and some of their friends.

The group of women was having a good time at Stephanie and Xandra's place. Xandra and Stephanie were talking.

"So I was thinking...maybe it's about time I start letting other people know that I'm pregnant." Stephanie suggested.

"Are you sure?" Xandra asked.

"Yeah. I'm going to be huge as a house soon and then everyone will know for sure. Why not just say it now and get it over with?"

"OK. If you're sure. You know, I'm really proud of you. I never thought I'd see you smiling again. But now, you're much happier than I've ever seen you. Pregnancy looks so good on you."

"Why thank you!" Stephanie said excitedly. "You know, I have to thank you. If you hadn't worried about me so much, I wouldn't have been taking such good care of myself like I am now."

"Hey, you've got an extra person to take care of now. And I'm so glad to see you happy again."

"Thanks, sis. How about we shake this party up?"

Later, as the party was winding down, Taker drove up to the house. He had arranged to pick up Xandra for dinner. He walked up to the front door. Before he could knock, the door opened and women began to stream out. He respectfully stepped aside to make way for them. Soon Stephanie came out as well. She was surprised to see Taker on her doorstep.

"Taker...what's going on?" She asked.

"I'm here to pick up Xandra. How have you been?"

"Well, I-"

"Stephanie," Her friend, Jen, said as she walked up to her. "I need to know the gender of the baby so I can get some baby clothes for you."

Taker looked at Stephanie, confused. "Baby?"

Stephanie had to think fast. "Oh, we were talking about planning a baby shower for Marissa."

"No, I was talking about for you." Jen responded. "Now that we know you're pregnant, we need to find out what you need. You're not getting away without us having a baby shower for you!"

Stephanie sighed as Taker looked at her. "So, boss lady is pregnant? Congratulations!"

"Thanks." She replied. "I'll call you later, Jen."

"OK. Bye!"

"Bye." Stephanie walked back inside the house. Taker followed her.

"So...when were you going to let everyone know you're pregnant?" Taker asked her.

"I'll let Xandra know you're here." Stephanie said, trying to change the subject.

"So who's the lucky man?" Taker pressed on.

"My personal life is none of your business." She said angrily.

"Well, you're going to be my sister-in-law soon and I think I have the right to know if I'm going to be an uncle or not."

"Trust me, being an uncle is the least of your worries."

"You're right. I still need to set a wedding date with Xandra. We should do that tonight before we-"

"You're not marrying my sister!" She yelled.

"Excuse me?"

Stephanie looked at Taker hard. "You're not going to marry my sister. Especially after she finds out the good news."

"I believe she knows about your pregnancy. I suspect she just found out today."

"No, she was the first one I told."

"Well, what more does she need to know?"

"Who the father of my baby is."

"What? You got back with Triple H?"

"No. Funny story though...the father of my baby just happens to be my sister's fiancee."


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10

Taker looked at her, stunned. "How is that possible? We never slept together."

"What? You forgot about Wrestlemania? You forgot how you savagely raped me?"

"But I-" Taker suddenly realized that she was right. His victim was pregnant with his child. "Oh, no..."

"Yeah, that's right, Deadman. I'm carrying your unborn child."

"Oh, damn..." Taker swore.

"Now what do you have to say for yourself?"

Taker looked at Stephanie. "Xandra doesn't know, right?"

"That you're the father? No, she does not know...yet."

"Good. You're not going to tell her."

"Says who? You?"

"Yeah. It won't matter anyway. Once the child is born, I'll take it away from you and Xandra and I will raise it as our own."

"I don't think so. You don't deserve to be anywhere near my baby."

"Well, it is my kid, too. And I have every right to take the child from you. Look at you. You're obviously not in the right state of mind to take care of a child."

"Really? Gee, I wonder why that is."

"Hey, I'm only trying to help you out here. Xandra and I take the kid, you don't tell her anything, we'll all live happily ever after."

"Wrong again. You took away my innocence when you took my virginity. You lost your rights to claim this child when you raped me at Wrestlemania. You don't get to take anything else from me. Not my life, and especially not my baby. You got that?"

"Stephanie!" Xandra's voice called out. "Is Taker here yet?"

"Yeah, he's here!" Stephanie replied. "Xandra will find out the truth about you soon enough. The question is, will she hear it from me? I suggest you think about that if you don't want to lose her...which I still think is inevitable now more than ever."

Xandra soon came downstairs. "Hello, handsome." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "What's going on down here?"

"I was just wishing Stephanie all the best with her new bundle of joy." Taker replied.

"In his own way." Stephanie added.

"That's great. Shall we?" Xandra asked.

"Let's go." Taker said. "After all, we have more wedding talk to take care of."

Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"I should be back in a couple of hours." Xandra said.

"OK." Stephanie said. As soon as Xandra and Taker made their exit, Stephanie grabbed a pillow, put her face on it and let out a scream. She then threw the pillow back on the sofa.

"God, I can't stand him!" She yelled. She then took several deep breaths. She had to remain calm for the sake of her unborn child.

"I'm sorry, little one. But your father just makes me so sick. Like I said, he doesn't deserve to know anything about you. He may try to take you away from me, but I promise you, I won't let that happen. He knows I hold his future in my hands. If I have to, I'll hit him where it hurts the most. There's nothing stopping me from telling Xandra about him now. He won't know when it'll happen, but trust me...it will happen."


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11

Xandra and Taker were on their date, a picnic orchestrated by Taker. They were eating and talking about their upcoming wedding. But Xandra had one major concern on her mind.

"Taker?"

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking about something. Our...our wedding night."

"Our wedding night? Xandra, are you scared?"

"A little. It'll be my first time doing...you know." She said, blushing.

"Oh, Xandra..." Taker said. "I understand that you're nervous."

"I know I won't be your first, but I fear I may not live up to the other women you've slept with."

"Honey, it's OK. I don't want you comparing yourself to the women of my past. The difference between them and you is that I wasn't as in love with them as I am with you."

"Taker..."

"I want you to know that when I say 'I do' to you, I'll be making a lifelong commitment to you and you alone. The past will be just that, in the past. I want a life with you, and I want you to be the only woman in my life."

Xandra smiled and kissed her fiancee. "You're the first man I've been in a relationship with and the man I'll lose my virginity to. I take that very seriously. I just want our first time together to be special."

"Trust me, it will be. Because I'll be with you and you'll be with me. The first time we make love will be amazing for both of us...because it will be the consummation of our love for each other. I love you, Alexandra. I'll be the best husband I can be to you. I'll do anything for you. I'll make you breakfast in bed, I'll write you little love notes, I'll even spoon feed you your favorite ice cream while watching late night TV with you."

Xandra laughed. "Will you still be with me should I get pregnant and start craving tuna, cream cheese, and peanut butter sandwiches?"

It was Taker's turn to laugh. "Of course I will, darling. I can't wait to start a family with you."

Xandra kissed him again. "I love you, Deadman."

Taker took her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. 'Oh, Xandra...I do love you. But will you still love me when your sister's baby is born? I don't want to lose you, but if Stephanie reveals how she got pregnant in the first place...I'm afraid that I will.'


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12

The McMahon family was getting ready for their Thanksgiving dinner. Xandra and Linda were working on the side dishes while Shane and Vince talked in the living room.

"I'm so glad Stephanie decided to join us for Thanksgiving." Linda told Xandra.

"Yeah, it took a lot of convincing, but I got her to come."

"Maybe we'll find out why she's been staying away for so long. I hate that she's been so isolated from the family and WWE."

"I bet she has a good reason."

Soon the doorbell rang.

"That's her now." Xandra said excitedly. She went to the door and opened it. Stephanie was there, holding a gift bag. "You made it!"

"Well, I promised you I'd be here, so here I am."

"Thank you." Xandra said as she hugged Stephanie. "So today's the day you tell Mom and Dad about the baby, huh?"

"Yep. Better now than when I'm in labor." Stephanie joked.

"Come on in. You're just in time. Mom and I could use your help in the kitchen."

"Wait. I have something for you." She said, handing Xandra the bag. "It's just a little something for you for your wedding day."

Xandra looked in the bag. Inside was a small gift box. She opened it to reveal...

"Pearl earrings! Stephanie, you shouldn't have!"

"I know, but I just wanted to thank you for putting up with me these past couple of months, especially after finding out I was pregnant. You've been so good to me and I appreciate it."

"Oh, of course. I'm your sister. I know you'll do the same for me whenever I get pregnant."

Stephanie embraced Xandra. "Thanks, sis."

Later, as the family was preparing to have dinner, Stephanie spoke up.

"Mom, Dad...I think it's time I shared something with you. As you know, I've been sort of keeping to myself for a long time now...and it's time that I explained why."

Stephanie stood up and removed her jacket.

Shane was first to speak. "Whoa, Steph! You're...you're..."

"That's right. Mom, Dad...I'm pregnant."

Vince looked at Stephanie, surprised.

Linda said, "Pregnant? But how?"

"You see, Mom, when a man and a woman love each other-"

"I know that part. But you didn't tell us you were going out with anyone, let alone having their baby!"

"Well, it's pretty complicated, Mom."

"What's complicated about it? My little girl's about to have a baby!" Vince stated.

"How far along are you, Steph?" Shane asked.

"Well, I'm just under 8 months."

"8 months?!" Vince exclaimed. "8 months and you're just telling us now?"

"Dad, I-"

"Stephanie..." Linda said calmly. "Just tell us how this happened."

"Well-"

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Xandra said, standing up.

"Thanks, honey." Vince said as she left.

"Stephanie, tell us. How did you keep this pregnancy secret for so long?" Linda asked.

"Simple. I just didn't tell anybody, plus I wore a lot of black."

"Did you tell anybody before you told us?"

"Yeah, Xandra was the first person I told, and that was only a couple of months ago."

"Really?" Vince asked.

"So Xandra did know. But why wouldn't you come to us first with this news?" Linda added.

"Well, I kind of couldn't, nor did I want to."

"And why was that?" Vince asked.

"You see-"

"Look who's here!" Xandra said as she came back into the dining room, with Taker right behind her.

"Hello, Taker!" Vince said. "What brings you by today?"

"Well, I didn't want to spend Thanksgiving alone, plus I heard my beautiful fiancee was getting together with my future in-laws, so I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I had dinner with you."

"I don't see a problem with that." Linda said. "Does anyone?"

Shane and Vince shook their heads. Stephanie just stood there in silence, not looking at Taker.

"Well, it's unanimous. We'd love to have you."

Vince stood up and went to get a chair for Taker.

"Well, dinner's just about ready, so why don't we go ahead and sit down?"

Dinner went off without a hitch. As soon as everyone was stuffed, they sat around the table, just talking.

Soon Taker stood up and announced that he was leaving.

"I'll see you out." Xandra offered.

"No, let me." Stephanie said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, we need to talk anyway."

"OK, that's fine."

Stephanie followed Taker into the living room. She cleared her throat. Taker stopped and turned around.

"I hope you had a good time." She said.

"As a matter of fact, I did. It was nice to be in the company of my fiancee and her family for Thanksgiving."

"That's great. Now get out."

"Now why would you say that?"

"You weaseled your way into our Thanksgiving dinner, with the guise of wanting to spend time with our family."

"Is there something so wrong with that?"

"Did Xandra tell you I was going to tell my mom and dad about my pregnancy today?"

"She actually didn't. All she mentioned was that you would be joining them for Thanksgiving, and I thought why not surprise her and spend time with the whole family for the first time since we got engaged?"

"Well, you got what you wanted, so you can leave now."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "But I also wanted to get a good look at the woman who's carrying our child."

"Do you have any idea how sick you make me?"

"By my calculations, you should be ready to give birth within the next month, am I right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I think I'd like to be there when the newest McMahon family member arrives."

"Hell, no!"

"What's the problem, boss lady? After all, the child should have both Mom and Dad in the delivery room."

"Don't even think of showing up at the hospital when I have MY baby. You do not get that privilege."

"Hey, it's my kid, too, or have you forgotten that?"

"Oh, believe me, I know it's your kid, too. That I can't forget."

"Well, I'm going to be there until he or she is born, then Xandra and I will take the baby and get married and we'll be one big happy family."

"I already told you you're not taking my baby!"

"OUR baby."

"Whatever! Bottom line is you will have no part in his or her life at all! I will make sure of that. Besides, the court would never give custody of a child to a rapist."

"Xandra doesn't have to know about that part."

"Well, what am I going to say to her? That her fiancee knocked me up accidentally? How do you think she'll respond to that?"

"I don't know how she'll react, but I'll tell you what I do know." A voice said.

Taker and Stephanie turned to see Shane standing by the door.

"I'm not going to be the one to break our little sister's heart."


	13. Chapter 13

Part 13

"Shane...what did you hear?"

"Oh, just the part where you said Xandra's fiancee knocked you up."

"First off, it's not what you think-"

"Look, whatever is going on between you and Taker, that's between you two. I'm out of it. But know this: Xandra thinks the world of both of you. You're her sister and you're her fiancee. I would think you'd know better than to sleep together."

"Shane, you don't understand!"

"Whatever, Stephanie. Like I said, I'm not going to be the one to destroy her world. Taker, you'd better step up and own up to what you did...whatever it is that you two did. I also suggest that you tell Xandra before you get married so she knows just what she's getting herself into."

Shane walked back through the door.

Stephanie turned to Taker with a look of hatred on her face.

"Hey, at least he didn't hear it from me." Taker said, chuckling.

Stephanie walked up to Taker and backhanded him.

"God, I hate you!" She told him. "You really are an evil son of a bitch!"

"I'm still going to be your brother-in-law, Stephanie, whether you like it or not."

She reached up to smack him again, but he caught her wrist.

"Now, now, Stephanie. You don't want to get too stressed out this close to your due date. I need you to be 100% when you give birth to mine and Xandra's future child."

He let go of her wrist. Stephanie simply shook her head in disgust and went to go upstairs.

Xandra walked through the door. "You're still here?" She asked.

"Actually, I was just leaving."

"So what did you and Stephanie have to talk about?"

"Oh, it was just some Smackdown business. I may be getting a title shot in my future."

"Oh, that's great!" She said as she hugged Taker. "Imagine me, married to the WWE Champion."

"Hey, anything's possible."

Meanwhile, Stephanie was in the bathroom, sitting on the toilet, crying.

"Damn that bastard!" She cursed. "There's no way in hell he's going to marry Xandra. I don't care what he says or does. There is absolutely no way he will ever be a part of this family!"

Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door.

"Stephanie, are you in there?" Xandra called out.

She quickly wiped her eyes. "Yeah. Hold on." She gave herself a good look in the mirror to make sure she looked presentable. She took a few deep breaths and then went to open the door.

"Stephanie! You've been crying!" Were the first words from Xandra. "What's the matter?"

"It's...it's nothing. I'm fine, really."

"No, you're not. I can tell. What's going on?"

Stephanie took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. It's just my hormones have been getting the better of me for a while now and I sometimes break into random crying fits. The doctor said they'll get better after the baby's born. I'm just under a lot of stress right now, between running Smackdown, my office work, and my doctor's appointments. It's just..." Stephanie started crying again. "I don't know how I'm going to keep it together..."

"Oh, Stephanie..." Xandra reached out to give her a comforting hug. "Shhh...it's all right. It's going to be fine."

Stephanie continued to cry on Xandra's shoulder. She looked up to see Shane standing nearby. Shane looked at her sadly, then wordlessly walked over and embraced his younger sisters.

"It's all right. I love you both. You two have each other...and I hope that never changes. I mean that." He told them.

Stephanie thought to herself, 'No matter what happens, I will tell Xandra the truth. The Deadman had better watch his back.'


	14. Chapter 14

Part 14

"Stephanie, are you sure you're all right? Those contractions have been coming on pretty strong." Xandra asked, concerned about her sister.

"I'm fine. This is nothing." Stephanie replied.

"Says a woman who's never given birth before. I still think you shouldn't be coming into work so close to your due date."

"I know what you're thinking, but trust me. I'll call the doctor if I get worse."

"You'd better. I don't want anything happening to you, or my future niece or nephew."

"Xandra, go. I'll survive."

"Bad choice of words, Steph."

"Sorry. I'll be OK. I just need to get through today and get through Smackdown, then I can focus on myself and the holidays."

"If you say so. Don't forget, I'm only a phone call away." Xandra hugged her sister.

"I know."

Xandra left and Stephanie sat down and sighed.

"Go easy on your mama, little one. You'll be in my arms soon enough." She said, placing a hand on her distended belly.

"Hey, boss lady."

"Not today, Taker." She said without turning around. "I'm in no mood for your crap."

"Hey now. I come in peace. I noticed Xandra just left."

"Yes, she did. If you hurry, you can go catch her."

"I actually wanted to see you. I need your help with a gift I got for her."

"I'm sure she'll like whatever you got for her. As long as it's from you, she'll love it."

"I know, but I need a woman's opinion for this."

"Why, Taker?" She said, turning around in her chair. "Why am I always the one who you come running to? Why? The fact that I'm having your baby, thanks to you raping me, in case you forgot, does not give you free reign to come and harass me whenever you want. Now if you will excuse me..."

"Well, excuse me for looking for help." He turned to walk away.

Stephanie cried out and grasped her stomach.

"Are you all right?" Taker asked, concerned.

"I'm fine!" Stephanie snapped at him.

"You don't look fine."

"It's just contractions...contractions from hell, but I'll live. They'll fade away eventually." She explained.

"You don't sound too sure of that."

"Taker, why don't you just go away and leave me alone?" She ordered. "After all, this is my struggle. I have to deal with this by myself, in my own way."

"I honestly don't want you to be by yourself right now-"

"Damn it, Taker!" She stood up sharply. "This is none of your concern!"

"I'm sorry, but it's my baby too, and I have every right-"

"No, you don't. You don't have a damn thing to do with MY baby. As far as I'm concerned, you can just-" She suddenly stopped and gasped.

"Stephanie? What's wrong?"

She looked at him, panicked. "I think my water just broke."


	15. Chapter 15

Part 15

"Are you sure?" Taker asked. Stephanie could only nod. "Oh, boy."

"OK, just stay calm, Stephanie." She told herself. "First things first...must call Xandra and let her know what's going on."

"There's no time for that. This baby's about to make their entrance whether you're ready or not."

"Taker, just-"

"Look, we could waste time arguing, but right now, I'm the only person here that can help you. So I need you to trust me and work with me, and we'll get through this together. Now come on. We're going to the hospital."

Stephanie allowed herself to be led away by Taker.

"We're almost there, Stephanie. How are you doing?" Taker asked as he drove.

"It hurts like hell." She groaned. "I'm more than ready for this kid to come out." She screamed as another contraction struck.

"It's OK. Just breathe and the pain should subside for the time being. I hope this baby can wait just a little while longer."

Minutes later, they arrived at the hospital. Stephanie was immediately carted off to the delivery room. Taker wanted to go in with her.

"Is he your husband?" The nurse asked Stephanie.

"No, but he is the father."

"We have a waiting room nearby. You'll have to wait in there."

Taker knew better than to argue with anyone in this situation. He didn't want to make things worse for Stephanie. He knew she was going through hell as it was.

After what seemed like several hours, the nurse came back out.

"How is she?" He asked, genuinely concerned.

"She's perfectly fine...and so is your daughter."

"Daughter? It's a girl?"

He nodded. "Congratulations. You got Stephanie here just in time."

Taker sighed in relief. "Thank you so much. Can I see them?"

"You sure can."

The nurse led him to a private room. Stephanie lay in a bed with a bundle in her arms.

Taker cleared his throat. Stephanie looked up at him...and smiled.

"Come on in." She said. "Meet your daughter."

Taker walked over to the bed and sat down. He leaned in to get his first look at his and Stephanie's newborn daughter. She lay in Stephanie's arms, sleeping. Her eyes closed, a tiny patch of light brown hair on her head.

"She's beautiful." Taker said quietly.

"She's got the prettiest eyes." Stephanie added.

"Do you have a name picked out for her?" The nurse asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do." Stephanie replied. "Carter Grace McMahon."

"That's a lovely name." Taker stated.

"I'll leave you alone." The nurse said.

"Thank you."

The nurse left Taker and Stephanie alone with their daughter.

"She looks just like her mother." Taker said.

"I hate to admit it, but she looks a little like you, too." Stephanie added.

Taker chuckled as he gazed lovingly at the baby in her arms.

"Regardless, I hope you get a good look at her...because you're never going to see her again."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't think I forgot about all you've done. We may have called a truce for the time being, but once Carter and I leave the hospital, you are to have nothing to do with her. She's my daughter and I'm going to raise her by myself, without any help from you."

"Hell, last time I checked, she's my daughter, too!"

"That no longer matters. Your duties as a father have ended, starting immediately. I appreciate you helping me bring her into the world, no doubt. But nonetheless, you're still a sick rapist who shouldn't be trusted with a goldfish, never mind a child."

"Now, Stephanie-"

"The least you could do is call Xandra and let her know about the newest member of the family. You can do that much for me."

Taker sighed. "Well, at least can I hold her one time?"

"I guess I can give you that." She carefully placed Carter in Taker's waiting arms.

"Hello, love." Taker whispered. "I'm your daddy. Welcome to the world. You're a lucky little lady, you know that? You have a mommy who's going to take good care of you. She's going to love you so much, you won't believe it. Your whole family will love you and spoil you rotten. I'm sorry I can't be there to watch you grow up, but I've done some things that were not so nice, and now I'm paying for my sins. Just know that I loved you since the first moment I laid eyes on you, and I'll always love you, even though I'm not there."

Stephanie stared sadly at Taker and Carter. She honestly hated to take a child away from her father, but she felt that it was for the best with how she was conceived.

Taker handed Carter back to Stephanie. "I guess I'll be going now." He stood up to leave.

"Taker?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for helping me out today. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, boss lady." He turned and walked out the door.

Stephanie sighed as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Carter stirred in Stephanie's arms. "I know, baby. I know." Stephanie said. "Mommy's here and I'll always be here for you."

Taker walked down the hall. He looked up and he saw the nurse that helped with Stephanie's delivery.

"Hey, I just wanted to say thanks again for helping us out."

"It was my pleasure."

"Say, you think you could help me out with something? I'll make it worth your while."


	16. Chapter 16

Part 16

Stephanie woke up in the morning after a well deserved good night's sleep. She stretched her arms out and yawned.

"I'm ready to see my little girl." She said to herself.

"Good morning, Stephanie." The nurse said as he walked in.

"Oh, it is a beautiful morning." She replied. "I've got a beautiful daughter who I can't wait to love on and cuddle with."

"Yes, you do."

"So where is Carter?"

"Oh, she's with her father."

"Her father?"

"Yes. He told me he was going to take her for a walk around the hospital."

Stephanie thought about this for a while.

"Well, where is he?"

"He said he wouldn't take long...but then again, that was a little over an hour ago."

"No..." Stephanie said quietly.

"Is something the matter?"

"No, I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"All right. I'll be looking for him."

"Thank you." Stephanie said as he left.

"He's got my baby. That bastard has my baby!"

Meanwhile, Carter lay sleeping in a car seat in the back of Taker's truck as her father drove.

"No one's going to keep me from you, darling." He said. "As a matter of fact, you're quite precious to me. Today, you meet your new mommy. Trust me, you'll love her as much as I do."


	17. Chapter 17

Part 17

Xandra was getting ready to go out and do some last minute Christmas shopping. She was buttoning her blouse when her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, love."

"Taker! I was starting to get worried about you. You didn't answer my calls at all yesterday. What happened?"

"I got a little tied up with something. What are you doing?"

"I'm getting ready to head out the door."

"Well, I'm outside and I've got a surprise for you."

"Really? I'll be right down."

Minutes later, Xandra came outside to see her fiancee waiting by his truck. She ran over to him and he swept her into an embrace.

"I'm so glad to see you." He said.

"Me too." They kissed. "So what's this surprise that you have for me?"

"Well, you're going to have to be very quiet before I show you."

"OK." Xandra whispered.

Taker went around to the back of his truck and got the car seat out, successful in not waking the sleeping baby.

"Here she is." Taker said as he brought her around to Xandra.

"Oh, my God!" She said quietly. "A baby! Is she yours?"

"She sure is."

"What about the mother?"

"Oh, she was the one who told me to take care of her. She came to my place yesterday and dropped her off. That's what I was doing all day yesterday. Getting everything I need to take care of this little one."

"She's so small! What's her name?"

"Elizabeth Grace. Lizzie for short."

"Hi, Lizzie." Xandra gently caressed her hand. "But Taker, this has to be a shock to you. I mean, yesterday, you were simply an engaged man, and today, you're a father. Are you sure you're up to the challenge?"

"I most certainly am. As a matter of fact, that's where you come in. What do you say to the three of us going out of town this weekend, as a family?"

"What?"

"I would like us to adjust to being parents before I marry you."

"I'm OK with that, but this is just so sudden. I mean, I don't have time to pack or do anything."

"Don't worry. We'll get everything we need as we go. So what do you say?"

"I say, yeah! Let's go! Let me just call Stephanie and tell her-"

"No! I mean, she's so busy getting ready for Smackdown, so I don't think we should disturb her. Besides, she's pretty close to her due date, so she doesn't need any extra stress on her shoulders."

"Yeah, you're right. But I think I should at least-"

"Don't worry about it. We'll take care of all of it when the time comes. What are we waiting for?"

"You're right. Let's get on the road."

"OK. Let me just put Lizzie back in the car and we can get going."

"OK."

Taker put the car seat back in the truck and helped Xandra in the passenger seat. Then he got in the front seat, started the engine and drove off.


	18. Chapter 18

Part 18

It was Christmas Eve, and Stephanie was spending her first Christmas as a mother...only she was doing it without her newborn daughter. Stephanie was sure she had no more tears left to cry, but every time she started to think about her missing baby, the tears flowed freely again.

She knew she had to tell somebody what was going on, but she couldn't bring herself to call her parents, who had decided to stay in town knowing Stephanie was due soon, or her brother, who was spending Christmas out of town with his wife.

"Damn Taker." She swore to herself. "He's got my baby and he's who knows where with God knows who, and who knows what he's doing with her."

Suddenly an idea came to her head. 'Xandra. She's got to be nearby. She needs to know about this.'

She reached for her cell phone and dialed Xandra's number. She waited a few seconds...

"Hey, it's Alexandra. I'm not available right now..."

"Great. Voicemail. Now what? I know..."

She texted Xandra. "Hey, Xandra. It's Stephanie. I'm in the hospital. Call me ASAP. So much has gone on. More later."

"She has to see this text. I hope she replies soon..."

Meanwhile, Xandra had just put Carter down for a nap when Taker came back in the hotel room they were sharing, holding several packages.

"Honey, I'm home!" He called.

"Shhh." Xandra admonished him gently as she walked over to him. "I just put Lizzie down."

"Sorry." He said as he kissed her.

"So what's all this?"

"Just some food for us and some formula for Lizzie...and a couple of surprises for you. It is Christmas Eve, after all."

"Oh, no! I don't have anything for you!" Xandra panicked.

"Don't worry. I know what you can give me."

"What?"

"Open this and I'll tell you." He said, handing her a box.

She opened the box and lifted out a white cotton dress. She held it to her body. It was off the shoulder, and the hem just reached her ankles.

"It's beautiful!" She gasped. "But what is it for?"

"Our wedding."

"What? But when will that be?"

"Today."

"Today?! Are you kidding? My family will kill me if they're not there to see me get married! My sister is supposed to be my maid of honor, and Lizzie-"

"Xandra, calm down. It's OK. Don't worry."

"How can you tell me not to worry? This is all happening so fast!"

"Because I've taken care of everything."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I've found the perfect place. It's just up the road from here. I found a minister who's going to meet us there. All I need is your OK and we're good to go."

"Taker, I...I'm not sure what to say."

"Say yes, Xandra. I want nothing more than to be your husband, and I don't want to wait any longer. I want us to start our lives together. You, me, and Lizzie. I want it to be the three of us against the world. Marrying me today will be your Christmas gift to me, and to Lizzie."

"Oh, Taker..." She put her arms around him. "When you put it that way..."

He looked at her hopefully.

"Oh, why not? What could it hurt?"

Taker hugged Xandra tightly. "You won't regret this, I promise you. Now go get dressed. We have to leave in an hour. Lizzie should be awake by then."

"OK." She kissed him and headed to the bathroom to get herself ready.

Taker looked at his sleeping daughter in her playpen. "Little lady, you and I are so blessed to have Xandra in our lives. Smart, beautiful, loving, and caring...and in just a little while, she becomes my wife...and your new mommy. I hated to take you away from Stephanie, but you deserve so much better than an unstable, dangerous woman who wouldn't know what to do with a precious child like you. I'll do anything to make sure everything is perfect for the three of us. I love you, little lady. This is only the beginning for us."

Suddenly, he heard beeping coming from Xandra's cell phone. He walked over and picked it up. He read the text message that Stephanie had sent Xandra.

"Sorry, Stephanie. Xandra doesn't have time for your drama." He said, taking the battery out of the phone. "She's about to become my lovely bride, and I'm about to become your brother-in-law. And not you, or anyone else, can stop us from being together now."

End of Book Two


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